William Perlman/The Star-LedgerStephon Marbury said he was 'playing off adrenaline' in his first game with the Boston Celtics.

NOTEBOOK

Stephon Marbury sounded humble, and said all the right things in addressing the assembled media in his first game back in the New York metropolitan area since his divorce from the Knicks and subsequent marriage to the Boston Celtics.

"I think that people can form their own opinions from the things that I've tried to do," Marbury said before the game, when he was asked if he had any message to send to Knicks fans. "I'm not perfect -- I make mistakes. But at the same time, getting the opportunity to play with ... the best team in the NBA, I think it shows a lot as far as what I can do on the basketball court."

The Nets fans weren't impressed, apparently. They booed Marbury, the former Net and former Knick, when he was introduced and every time he touched the ball in the game. They cheered when his first shot was blocked by Sean Williams, and cheered whenever he was charged with a foul.

In the end, Marbury played 15 minutes and did not score, taking and missing two shots. He did have four assists and two rebounds in his third game since signing with the Celtics last week.

Marbury said he is still playing his way into shape after not playing in a regular-season game since January 2008 with the Knicks. He scored eight points in his first game with Boston, but hasn't scored in his last two. He has hit 4 of 11 shots.

"The first game, I wasn't in game shape. I was just playing off adrenaline," he said. "The second game, I was just kind of -- it hit me from playing the first game. So having two practices under my belt helped. Not playing in 13 months has been tough, but I've been adjusting and I've been doing extra conditioning to basically get myself into basketball shape."

Of making the adjustment to coming off the bench for the first time in his career, Marbury said that has not been a big deal.

"It's an adjustment, but the mind frame and the mind-set is to win a championship," he said. "And that's what guys talk about in the locker room, on the bus, and that's the environment that I wanted to always be in.

"I know eventually, once I get my legs under me, I'll probably play a little bit more than what I've been playing," he continued. "It's just going to take time, and I'm just happy to be a part of what they're trying to do."

Devin Harris said doctors did not tell him why he had difficulty breathing in Tuesday's game, but he theorized he may have had smoke in his lungs after going out Monday night in Milwaukee, his hometown. Smoking is still allowed in restaurants and bars in Milwaukee and Harris said his brother smokes.

Brook Lopez blocked three shots Tuesday night in Milwaukee to give him a season total of 114, which broke the team's rookie record set by Kenyon Martin in 2000-01. Lopez did not block a shot against the Celtics, but he leads all NBA rookies with nearly 1.9 blocks per game.

The Nets announced they will play their three preseason home games next fall at the Prudential Center and Carnesecca Arena, on the campus of St. John's University. They will play in Newark Oct. 13 against the Celtics and Oct. 21 against the Knicks. They will play the Philadelphia 76ers Oct. 23 at St. John's.

Stromile Swift, waived by the Nets earlier this week, signed a free-agent contract with the Suns.